Jagdeep Dhankhar Criticises "People In World" Lecturing India On Judicial Behaviour

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday took exception to people in the world trying to lecture India on its judicial mechanism, a remark that came in the wake of the US and Germany commenting on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate.

Without referring to the case linked to the excise policy 'scam', he said India has a robust judicial mechanism.

Addressing an event organised by a Bar association, Dhankhar asserted that the Indian judiciary is independent, fair and ever-ready.

"There are people in the world who want to lecture us on our judicial behaviour," he said.

He also said a narrative is being created on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

Someone from a sovereign platform, ignorant of ground realities, is trying to teach us a lesson that this is discriminatory ... Let us rebuff their ignorance, Mr Dhankhar said.

Emphasising that CAA is meant to give reprieve to those persecuted on religious grounds in India's neighbourhood, he highlighted that none is being deprived of citizenship and still the narrative is so different.

Some Western countries have questioned the law, rules of which were notified recently.

Mr Dhankhar urged people to have a firm commitment towards nationalism.

"We are not a nation to get scriptures from others," he asserted.

He asked the youth to speak against such things on social media and other platforms. He called upon the young minds to enlighten the countries trying to teach us lessons out of their ignorance.

India on Wednesday summoned a senior US diplomat and lodged a strong protest against Washington's remarks on the arrest of Kejriwal.

Reports had it that a US State Department official said that Washington encouraged a fair, transparent and timely legal process for Kejriwal.

On March 23, India summoned the German deputy chief of mission here and lodged a strong protest against that country's foreign ministry's remarks on the arrest of the Delhi Chief Minister.

A German Foreign Ministry spokesperson had taken note of Kejriwal's arrest.

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Kejriwal in a money laundering case linked to the excise policy 'scam'.

The case pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in formulating and executing the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 that was later scrapped.

Mr Dhankhar also questioned those spreading "pessimism in the era of hope and possibility". 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)